My top quality Berkshire pigs have been exported numerous times, to Japan and to most countries in the EU.
As such I now offer Consultancy to anyone wanting to import British pigs anywhere in the world.
There are a number of transport companies willing to do the paperwork and driving but you also need someone completely independent of them to chose your pigs, depending on what you want.
Whilst all Berkshires may look the same, they are not. They broadly fit into three categories:
1. Modern ‘improved’ genetics, especially the ‘Lassetter’ line which was started in UK in 2002 using imported semen. I remember at one Royal Show seeing a Lassetter boar taking up two whole pens, too big for our sows I thought. However, that size has been somewhat reduced, now the major downsize seems to be the face: long, to go with the body, and lacking ‘dish’, but the efficiency of the pork production, and the taste, is very good.
2. Traditional Berkshires. Good deep bodies, great hams, in particular a dished face and short nose. Mine are this type. Fed to appetite including a creep area under a high electric wire to keep the sow out, they can be 25kg at weaning and my best porker was a terrific 78kg dw at 28 weeks and not fat, line-bred to my best sow.
3. The pretty but smaller Berkshire, selected especially on correct markings and a short pretty face. Over the years this has led to a reduction in size of some breeding sows as the prettiest in the litter is selected for future breeding rather than the biggest pig or the one with the best conformation.